Travel Guides

Sossusvlei

One of Namibia's highlights is the clay pans of Sossusvlei in
the Namib Desert, enclosed by magnificent ochre sand dunes. The
Sossusvlei dunes are among the highest in the world, reaching more
than 960 feet (300m), and are a wondrous sight of endless rolling
shapes and sharp wind-sculpted crests. Although they have been
developed over a period of millions of years, their forms are
constantly changing, rising and falling at the mercy of the wind. A
climb to the top of one of these 'hills' is well worth the effort,
especially at sunrise or sunset, when the view of shifting sand,
stretching as far as the eye can see, is an ethereal and
magnificent sight.

The most impressive pan is Dead Vlei, a vast, hollow depression
of dry cracked mud scattered with ancient camel-thorn trees. The
colours and contrasts here are a photographer's delight. The pans
(vleis) are only ever filled with water after heavy rainfall, which
happens only every couple of years, but the solid clay layers hold
the water for a long time, providing a habitat for countless water
birds and a drinking hole for animals. The beautiful black and
white Oryx (a large, spiral-horned antelope) is occasionally
spotted in the meagre shade of the thorn trees, lizards leave their
tiny trails on the pristine mounds of sand, and the black 'tok
tokkie' beetle is commonly seen stumbling over the sun-baked jigsaw
puzzle pieces of the red clay surface. The area is also home to
ostriches and springbok.

Visitors should note that the sand dunes of Sossusvlei are
located roughly 37 miles (60km) from the Sesriem Gate, which is the
entrance to the park. The drive from the gate takes about an
hour.